ANSWERS - Smooth Indie from GHOSTY
A BAND TO KNOW: Lawrence, Kansas’s Ghosty are an easy band for me to write about, because they have roots in so many different, great bands I liked from the last 15 years. For example, there are elements of Elliot Smith in the vocals, early Black Crowes in the guitar, some Pavement (circa “Wowee Zowee”) in the bass, and presence of The National in the drums and keys. What brings these bands together is the mellow drift of their melodies, and the soft warmth of their tone. Ghosty uses this combination of elements to write calming songs that run over you like water. This is smooth indie rock at its finest.
GHOSTY'S QUIET CONFIDENCE - Subtle and smooth, Ghosty's Answers is a very successful album in that it achieves what the band and producer intended. The sounds here, which Band in Boston (check out the live Ghosty Flophouse session recording!) accurately called, "indie lounge," are capable of transporting the listener away. Is there a down side? Only that soft waves of sound can lull you into a state where the more complex lyrical or even melodic moves, which the album sometimes makes, are lost as you slip into lethargy. For another take, we also highly recommend checking out Ghosty's Daytrotter recording session. This is pretty potent stuff.
“Answers” is like the flowers that seduced the Lotus Eaters – a sweet album from which it is hard to pull yourself away.
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